Nazi references in U.S. politics

By WILLIAM BERGSTROM | 07/09/2012

Maine Gov. Paul LePage attacked the Affordable Care Act recently by calling the Internal Revenue Service "the new Gestapo," a reference to the secret police of Nazi Germany. LePage joins a long list of people who have invoked the Nazis to denounce politicians or policies.

“[The debate over climate change] reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. During that period of Nazism and fascism’s growth — a real danger to the United States and democratic countries around the world — there were people in this country and in the British parliament who said, ‘Don’t worry! Hitler’s not real! It’ll disappear!’” – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 2/23/2010